The HBO adaptation of The Last of Us Part 2 will present Abby differently from her video game counterpart, as confirmed by showrunner and Naughty Dog studio head Neil Druckmann. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Druckmann and fellow showrunner Craig Mazin explained that actress Kaitlyn Dever, who plays Abby, did not need to bulk up for the role. This decision stems from the fact that Abby's muscularity in the game was designed to differentiate her gameplay mechanics from Ellie's, a necessity that isn't as crucial in the TV adaptation.
Druckmann elaborated, "We would've struggled to find someone as good as Kaitlyn to play this role. In the game, you have to play both [Ellie and Abby] and we need them to play differently. We needed Ellie to feel smaller and kind of maneuver around, and Abby was meant to play more like Joel in that she's almost like a brute in the way she can physically manhandle certain things. That doesn't play as big of a role in this version of the story because there's not as much violent action moment to moment. It's more about the drama. I'm not saying there's no action here. It's just, again, different priorities and how you approach it."
Mazin added, "I personally think there is an amazing opportunity here to delve into someone who is perhaps physically more vulnerable than the Abby in the game, but whose spirit is stronger. And then the question is: 'Where does her formidable nature come from and how does it manifest?' That's something that will be explored now and later."
The "now and later" comment hints at HBO's intention to stretch The Last of Us Part 2 across multiple seasons, unlike Season 1, which covered the entirety of the first game in one season. Mazin noted that Part 2 has a more extensive narrative, and while Season 3 isn't confirmed yet, Season 2 has been structured with a "natural breakpoint" after seven episodes.
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The character of Abby has been a focal point of controversy, with some fans expressing their discontent through harassment of Naughty Dog employees, including Druckmann and actress Laura Bailey. This backlash included threats and abuse directed at Bailey, her parents, and her young son. HBO took these concerns seriously, providing extra security for Kaitlyn Dever during the filming of Season 2. Isabel Merced, who plays Dina in the season, remarked, "There's so many strange people in this world because there are people that actually genuinely hate Abby, who is not a real person. Just a reminder: not a real person."
